A Most Civil Proposal

by C. P. Odom

  She slept.

  * * * * *

  It was late when Darcy and Elizabeth finally arose, for Elizabeth was insatiable that morning, and it was well after noon before they finally left their room. Georgiana came upon them in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, Elizabeth’s arm tucked through her brother’s and both of them laughing softly at a shared moment. She halted at the look of radiance that her brother and his wife wore. They had always appeared comfortable with each other, but this morning was . . . different. But their eyes lit up when they saw her, and they were quickly upon her, clasping her arms and sweeping her down the hall, almost dragging her along with them as they laughed gaily. Georgiana’s heart swelled at the growing love between her brother and Elizabeth. It made her only more firm in her resolve that she would settle for nothing less.

  Chapter 29

  Wednesday, July 29, 1812

  Elizabeth hummed as she knocked on the door to Darcy’s study. He gave her a quick smile before returning to work while she sat in what had become her chair beside his desk, where she often helped him sort through and arrange the mountains of correspondence he received. She never could have imagined the range of matters that claimed his attention, from letters on estate business and tenant issues to social letters that could either be invitations to social events or correspondence from friends such as Bingley — though that gentleman, never the best of correspondents, had gone simply silent since marrying Jane.

  Elizabeth was not offended by the scratching of Darcy’s pen as he concentrated on his letter. She had learned during the three months of their marriage how disciplined her husband was in the discharge of his duties. So she sat quietly beside his desk while he finished, enjoying his look of intense absorption. It is so typical of him, she thought fondly, to throw his total concentration into whatever he does.

  Darcy was not long in finishing, and after quickly sanding and sealing the letter, he turned to Elizabeth with a warm smile that made her heart lurch. Despite what she had told him, she did not think he even yet comprehended how very dear he had become to her, and besides, she was almost bubbling over with good spirits that day. For not only did she anticipate the arrival of her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner later with her sister Kitty, but she also had some news to share.

  “I have just come from a conversation with Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Stenson,” Elizabeth said, as soon as her husband had put down his pen. “You are certainly familiar with a woman’s time of month, both from your sister and from me.”

  “Indeed I am,” Darcy said seriously. “And I also remember Mrs. Taylor’s advice, when I consulted her the first time you experienced that event, and I have been very careful what I did and said on that occasion.”

  Elizabeth coloured lightly, but she laughed also before continuing, “And have you noticed, dear husband, that there has been no recurrence of such an event since then?”

  Darcy sat up straighter at the implication of her comment, and she laughed and put her hand over his. “And both Mrs. Reynolds and I believe that it is now safe to say that our activities have borne their usual fruit, William, and I am now with child.”

  Darcy sat for a moment in stunned silence. Then his face came alive, and a slow smile stretched ear to ear in sublime glee. “Truly, my love?” he said, taking her hand in both of his.

  “Truly, William,” she smiled back. “Mrs. Stenson estimates that we may anticipate a child around the end of February or the first part of March.”

  Darcy came to his feet and pulled Elizabeth to him, enfolding her in his arms. “This is truly wonderful news,” he told her softly. “Already I have been so very happy, and now there will be a child at Pemberley for the first time in more than sixteen years!” He smiled as he remembered something.

  “Stevens will be happy,” he told Elizabeth. “When I told him that I was to marry, he congratulated me and then said that it would be wonderful to see children again in Darcy House.”

  He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the face. “Should you see a physician, Elizabeth? I do not believe there is a really good physician here in the country.”

  “Mrs. Stenson says there is nothing to worry about. She acts as midwife for the staff here at Pemberley as well as most of the tenant farmers. She also said that a young surgeon has been travelling through the nearby villages for the past year and that she has heard he is very good. She has sent word to Lambton to have him call on me when he arrives next week. And there are several other experienced midwives nearby if Mrs. Stenson is unavailable, so we will be well served when my time comes.”

  Darcy looked somewhat concerned. “Perhaps I should ask Doctor Peterson to make the journey from London to examine you,” he said worriedly.

  “William, stop worrying! I come of good physical stock — no matter how silly some of them are — for my mother had five girls with not a single problem. I was five years old when Lydia was born, and I clearly remember that Mama continued her usual endeavours up to the point when the midwife was summoned.”

  “Her usual endeavours, was it?” Darcy said with a teasing smile. “Was she even then searching the neighbourhood for suitable husbands for her daughters?”

  “Stop that!” Elizabeth laughed. “Jane was only seven at the time. It was at least three or four years before she started plotting!”

  “I daresay.” Darcy smiled, pulling her to him. Then, suddenly fearful that he might be squeezing her too hard, he loosened his grip.

  “There will be none of that, Mr. Darcy,” growled Elizabeth. “I have told you many times, I will not break, and I do dearly like being held!”

  Darcy pulled her close again. “As you wish, dearest, as you wish.”

  Elizabeth looked up at him carefully, and she saw a slight trace of worry remaining. “And I will not have you going all gentlemanly on me,” she said firmly. “I am convinced that such tales recommending that husbands and wives separate during this time are completely without basis.”

  “Whatever you say, dearest.” Darcy grinned.

  “Well, I am glad we got that settled,” she said archly, “for I do not think my aunt and uncle will arrive until well after luncheon.”

  She could not have said anything better contrived to drive away any last lingering hints of worry, and Darcy lost no time in escorting his wife from the study and up the stairs to the privacy of his chambers.

  * * * * *

  Elizabeth and Darcy were sitting in the music room listening to Georgiana when Mr. Reynolds knocked at the door.

  “Beg pardon, sir,” he rumbled, “but Tad tells me that a carriage has just pulled in by the Lodge. I expect it is your visitors.”

  Darcy looked up at the older man quizzically. “You would not consider sharing with me how the news could arrive here so quickly, would you, Reynolds?”

  The butler simply smiled. “Pemberley has a most excellent staff, sir.”

  “I still have no idea how they do it,” Darcy said to Elizabeth as Reynolds left. “It is uncanny.”

  Having thus been warned well in advance, a small force of servants was already assembled when Darcy and Elizabeth walked outside with Georgiana to await the arrival of their guests. Elizabeth recognized her uncle’s carriage just coming into sight around the curve of the road. In less than five minutes, the driver halted before the entrance to Pemberley.

  * * * * *

  After the travellers were settled in their rooms and had refreshed themselves, Elizabeth and Georgiana offered to take their guests on a quick tour of the house and garden before supper. Mrs. Gardiner and Kitty were eager to see the grand house, while Mr. Gardiner accepted Darcy’s offer of a game of billiards. As Elizabeth led them through the public areas downstairs, Kitty gawked in wide-eyed wonder at the loftiness of the rooms and the richness of the panelling. Mrs. Gardiner, however, was more impressed with the subdued elegance of what she observed.

  “It is very grand, to be sure, Lizzy,” she said, “but it is not so imposing and ornate that it loses the sens
e of being a home where people live. Pemberley has a, well, a lived-in appearance, if you know what I mean. I do not mean to be critical,” she said quickly, glancing at Georgiana, who only smiled.

  “I do indeed know what you mean.” Elizabeth smiled. “And I had the same thought when Georgiana first showed it to me. More true elegance and less useless finery. As she told me when I first arrived, Pemberley is where she has always felt most at home.”

  She pointed to the windows. “What I most love, I believe, is the delightful prospect that can be found at almost every window. When I sit and read or just sew, it is so pleasing to look out on such pleasant and comforting scenes.”

  “But what she really loves is to go walking for miles and miles through the paths and woods,” offered Georgiana. “William says she should learn to ride so that she could see more, but Elizabeth is adamant that she would never make a horsewoman.”

  “How could I enjoy the charming views if I was sitting up on some huge beast, afraid that every moment might be my last?” Elizabeth asked with a smile. “I am much happier walking.”

  Next was the music room, and Elizabeth pointed out the imposing pianoforte that was the centrepiece.

  “This was just recently delivered, a gift from William to Georgiana. You will have to hear her play on it; it is a wonderful instrument, and she is truly able to draw the best from it.”

  “Do not let Elizabeth raise your expectations too high, Mrs. Gardiner,” said Georgiana. “She is always determined to sing my praises, but she is more than competent in her own right.” She looked at her new sister. “We shall play a duet, Elizabeth,” she said firmly.

  “As you wish,” Elizabeth said. “Of course, we shall both have to sing,” she teased, but she was pleased to see that Georgiana did not shrink from her challenge, as she would have done only a month earlier. It was rewarding to see the younger girl’s steadily increasing confidence.

  Elizabeth led the way through the remaining downstairs rooms and then up into the upstairs lobby and the gallery. But the party did not tarry long, for the sun was close to the horizon and the outside gardens awaited. As they left the house to see the grounds, Georgiana turned to Mrs. Gardiner as a sudden thought occurred to her.

  “Did you have a chance to see Mrs. Bingley when you stayed at Longbourn?” she asked. “Her letters have been quite cheerful, but I would dearly love to see her again.”

  “We did have the chance to dine with them at Longbourn on the evening that we stayed, and Jane gave me several letters to both you and Elizabeth. They are in my trunk, which was just being unpacked when we came downstairs.”

  “I trust Jane is adapting well to married life,” said Elizabeth. “Her letters have always been cheerful, but they now seem to, well, bubble!”

  Mrs. Gardiner laughed in delight. “A better word could not have been chosen, Lizzy! Yes, she is blossoming more and more every day. She and Bingley have always been well matched in temperament, and it continues, for Mr. Bingley is as amiable as ever, but he has also become quite accomplished at managing an estate. He is only leasing Netherfield, so he does not wish to make major improvements until he decides whether he should keep it or search for another that is better situated.”

  Elizabeth smiled, understanding her aunt’s intimation, for it was readily apparent from Jane’s letters that she had begun to deduce that Netherfield was much too near Longbourn. Jane had been able to keep her mother away for the first week of her marriage only with difficulty and had not had any success in that regard since. It seemed that Mama was wont to call at least once a day with predictable consequences to the composure of both her daughter and her son-in-law. She made a mental note to talk with Darcy about it. Perhaps he might know of an estate better situated for his friend.

  “I do want to thank you for the wise advice you gave both Jane and me in London,” Elizabeth said quietly. “The adjustment to being married would have been more . . . ah . . . interesting . . . without your observations.” They were slightly ahead of Georgiana and Kitty, who seemed to be enjoying each other’s company and had lagged behind as they toured the garden.

  “I am very glad to have been helpful. You appear very well settled, as well as being very pleased with your husband.”

  “Very pleased, Aunt. Very pleased. He is the best and most honourable man I have ever known,” said Elizabeth earnestly, and Mrs. Gardiner’s mental eyebrows rose. She had known that Elizabeth held Darcy in esteem before the couple had left London, but this was high praise indeed, especially coming from Elizabeth.

  They walked further before Mrs. Gardiner decided to give Elizabeth a subtle prompt to see if she had any announcement to share. “Yes, you look very much the young wife,” Mrs. Gardiner said slyly. “Marriage obviously becomes you; the change is very apparent.”

  “Ah,” was Elizabeth’s only comment, though her ears did redden slightly. Then she regained her composure and said blandly, “You might be interested to know that my husband has come to believe you one of the most sensible women of his acquaintance.”

  “Really?” said Mrs. Gardiner with a suppressed smile. “That is most flattering, especially since Jane said that her husband had said much the same thing. Yes, that is most flattering, indeed, to have one’s advice taken to heart by one’s two favourite nieces.”

  Elizabeth decided that this conversation ought to go no further lest her decidedly deductive aunt gain too much information with which to tease her.

  Chapter 30

  Thursday, July 30, 1812

  The next morning following breakfast, Kitty and Georgiana took a walk in the gardens, taking pleasure in the company of someone closer to her own age than the rest of the party. Georgiana enjoyed Kitty’s high spirits though she was slightly disconcerted at her obsession with the entertainments of society and of young men, especially officers. Since she was not yet out in society, her own associations were limited to those of family and close family friends, and that was more than enough for her at present. She did not look forward to coming out though she knew it was expected of her in the next few years, but Kitty obviously was not of a similar opinion.

  “It was really quite unfair,” Kitty lamented as they walked, “that my sister Lydia was allowed to accompany Mrs. Forster, and I was forced to stay at home. Lydia has been at Brighton, much in the company of officers since the end of May while life at Longbourn has become dreadfully boring.”

  “Please excuse me,” Georgiana asked tentatively, “but who is Mrs. Forster?”

  “Colonel Forster’s wife. He commands the regiment of soldiers that spent the winter near Meryton. The officers provided many opportunities for diversion for the neighbourhood, balls and dinners and such, but now the regiment has gone to Brighton, and Lydia has gone with her friend, leaving me almost to myself at home.”

  “The only officer I have ever known is my cousin. He is a colonel also.”

  “Really?” asked Kitty in interest. “Where is he located? I know he was not part of Colonel Forster’s regiment; I knew all the officers. Do you not think that a red coat is the most delightful attire for a young man?”

  “I have never really thought about it,” Georgiana confessed. “It is just the way my cousin has always dressed. He commands a regiment of cavalry near to London though he has been to the continent several times. I think it must have been dangerous, but he never talks of it.”

  “I should quite like to meet your cousin,” Kitty said enthusiastically, failing to notice the look of distress that came over Georgiana’s face suddenly and then disappeared just as quickly.

  “But surely you are enjoying your travels with your aunt and uncle?” Georgiana changed the subject.

  “It seemed better than staying at home with the regiment gone, but it has turned out to be so tedious. We visited any number of large estates on our journey, but they soon began to look much the same. I had thought earlier that we would be going to the Lakes, but my uncle’s business would not allow it.”

  “The Lakes
are very beautiful, Kitty. William took me there two summers ago.”

  “Perhaps, but there are no parties or balls. Will you not be having any parties while we are here?”

  Georgiana smiled. “I am afraid that our life here might seem rather dull if parties and balls are what you measure by. We have some celebrations in the autumn after the harvest is in and then a larger celebration at Christmas. But right now, all the tenants are exceedingly busy in the fields.”

  “Is there not an Assembly hall in Lambton?” Kitty asked.

  “I believe there is, but I have never attended. I do not believe that William has attended either; he is not much interested in such activities though Elizabeth has mentioned that we might host a ball now and then, once I am out.”

  “It is really most vexing!” Kitty exclaimed. “Especially since Lydia is so much enjoying her time in Brighton. Her last letter was especially annoying since she said that one of the most popular officers in the regiment has become her particular favourite and has even gone so far as to talk of marriage.”

  “Then he has proposed to her? Oh, how exciting that must be!” exclaimed Georgiana.

  “Well, he has not actually proposed yet from what I can tell from Lydia’s letter. But she is sure that he will at some time or the other, and it is really difficult to swallow how she keeps going on and on about ‘dearest, dearest Wickham.’”

  Kitty did not see Georgiana blanch, but she did notice that the other girl stopped walking suddenly. She turned around and could not help but observe that her friend looked most distressed, pale and trembling as she clenched her hands into fists at her side.

  “Why, Georgiana, whatever is wrong?”

  Georgiana could not talk at first, but at last she got out tremulously, “What . . . who was that you talked about?”

  Kitty frowned in confusion. “Lydia? Or was it Mr. Wickham? He is an officer in the militia that she has become quite fond of.”

  Georgiana finally forced herself to ask, “What . . . what is his Christian name?”